Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Bastian Steger join 18 other players on the 2016 Men’s World Cup invitation list, with players such as Ma Long (China) and Vladimir Samsonov (Belarus) also set to participate.

However, there is no place for another of Germany’s players, Timo Boll, who chose not to compete at the Europe Top 16 tournament earlier in the year due to his knee injury. Only a maximum of two representatives per country can qualify for the World Cup.

Ovtcharov finished third at the 2015 Men’s World Cup with a win over Jun Mizutani (Japan), and the German player is hoping to take full advantage of the home support in this year’s rendition of the tournament:

“The World Cup is one of the most important tournaments in the world. I’m very much looking forward to that event-and with the public supporting me, my greatest goal is the podium.” – Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Germany).

Steger will make his Men’s World Cup debut after ending February’s Europe Top 16 competition in eighth place. The 35-year-old is looking to replicate some of his recent impressive form shown at Rio 2016 which featured a stunning win against Chuang Chih-Yuan (Chinese Taipei) for Steger, “Whether I can keep this form will be a matter of the mind, I very much hope that it works.”

Rio 2016 saw Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Bastian Steger win bronze medals in the Men’s Team event, and both players will be looking to do the host nation proud at the Men’s World Cup in Saarbrücken.